EPITHELIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF 5 SUB-POPULATIONS OF A HETEROGENEOUS STRAIN BALB-CFC3H MOUSE MAMMARY-TUMOR

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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (5) , 1720-1730
Abstract
Subpopulations of tumor cells from a spontaneous strain BALB/cfC3H mouse mammary tumor were studied. Subpopulations 68H and 4.10 are polygonal and grow in epithelioid patterns in vitro; subpopulations 66, 67 and 168 are fusiform and grow in lattice or fibroblast-like patterns. Line 4.10 produces tumors with distinctly glandular architecture; the other 4 subpopulations produce poorly differentiated tumors with mixed epithelial-sarcomatous histological patterns. All 5 lines were evaluated for epithelial characteristics. Dome formation, characteristic of transporting epithelial cells, could be induced by dexamethasone or dimethyl sulfoxide only in line 4.10 cells. Antibodies to cell type-specific mammary epithelial antigens reacted with each subpopulation. All 5 subpopulations had ultrastructural features of epithelial cells, including desmosomes (all 5 lines), junctional complexes (68H, 4.10, early-passage 66 and 67 only; poorly defined in 168), and growth in cords demonstrating polarity (68H cells). Less definitive myoepithelial characteristics were also seen in 4 lines, including an incomplete reaction for Na+-K+-ATPase (4.10 cells), hemidesmosome-like junctions (168 and early-passage 66 cells) and pinocytotic vesicles at lower than normal frequency (66, 67 and 168 cells). None of the lines were distinctly myoepithelial. The 5 subpopulations apparently are epithelial cells that express a spectrum of epithelial characteristics.